Broadband & Technology
NTCA members have led the charge to deploy state-of-the-art communications infrastructure and services in some of the most difficult-to-serve terrain in the United States. Their fiber optic broadband platforms support innovative agriculture, economic development, education, healthcare and other vital services that make rural places great places to live, learn and work.
Why It Matters
Interconnected devices or the “Internet of Things (IoT)” have made our lives more connected than ever, but technological changes present challenges for policymakers, regulators and providers alike. Timeless principles such as universal service and consumer protection apply with equal, if not greater, force in today’s and tomorrow’s communications marketplace, while NTCA works with policymakers and Congressional leaders to ensure that evolving regulations support both consumer protections and thriving businesses ready for the future.
NTCA has long been an advocate for taking a fresh, critical look at the prospect of updating legal frameworks while also ensuring a sensible, thoughtful and carefully managed transition from one regulatory framework to another.
Interconnection and Exchange of Data
NTCA supports common-sense rules to ensure that broadband customers can access the content they expect and that the networks across which services are delivered interconnect seamlessly to fulfill consumer demands and expectations. NTCA agrees that consumers are entitled to clear disclosures regarding their terms of service, including measures to ensure access to desired content. Similarly, NTCA affirms its commitment to preventing unjust or unreasonable discrimination with respect to data or content as it travels across various communications networks. Regulatory policies should avoid onerous regulations that target (or favor) certain segments of the multi-faceted broadband ecosystem or otherwise frustrate the ability to develop and deploy innovative offerings for consumers.
Broadband Regulation
The broadband marketplace has benefitted generally from “light-touch” regulation. It is imperative that overarching national priorities in the areas of universal service, competition and consumer protection continue to be advanced and sustained as broadband becomes our nation’s primary communications medium—but it is equally important that any rules and regulatory frameworks in this area avoid placing unreasonable burdens on providers or otherwise disrupting investment and operations in this marketplace. Prescriptive rate regulation measures and heavy-handed or open-ended compliance provisions are particularly problematic for smaller and rural providers. NTCA, therefore, advocates for “right-sized” rules that address specific public policy concerns in a carefully designed manner and seek to minimize burdens on network owners and service providers.
